SCHOOL TRAGEDY

The death of a student at Campion College in St Andrew on Tuesday has raised renewed concerns about the safety risks associated with unanchored goalposts on school grounds.

The student, 13-year-old Rashad Richards, was reportedly on the Liguanea-based school’s playground yesterday afternoon when a football goalpost fell on him, Superintendent Rory Martin, commanding officer for St Andrew Central, told The Gleaner.

The second-form student was taken to the University Hospital of the West Indies where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Campion College Chairman Anton Thompson last night said the entire school community was shaken by Rashad’s death.

“The school is cooperating fully with relevant authorities regarding this incident. Out of respect for the family’s privacy and due to the ongoing investigation, we cannot provide additional details at this time,” he said in a press release.

“Our immediate focus is on supporting our students, staff and, most importantly, Rashad’s family during this extremely difficult period. The school has made counselling and pastoral care services available to all members of our community,” he added.

Bemoaning the tragic incident, the director of safety and security in the Ministry of Education and Youth (MOEY), Richard Troupe, said it is a reminder of the importance of schools adhering to the ministry’s safety protocols.

“It is a matter of concern. We have a policy document for contact sports which speaks to the posts being planted because of these eventualities,” he told The Gleaner.

“We understand that, in some spaces, an area is used for multiple activities, but what we have seen in the past is schools putting the goalposts to lay down. So it does not provide that kind of threat to students,” he added.

The death of three students involving goalposts at schools in 2011 promoted calls for the development of guidelines for schools’ sporting equipment. The MOEY ordered the immediate removal of all unanchored goalposts from public infant and primary schools after the third tragedy. It also formed a committee to explore the use of safer materials in the construction of goalposts.

In March 2013, a male student at the Papine-based University of Technology was also left nursing chest injuries after a goalpost fell on him.

The circumstances under which yesterday's incident took place remain unclear.

Although stating on Tuesday that the majority of schools have been conforming to the policy, Troupe acknowledged that an audit may need to be done.

“It is something, in the context of this situation, we have to revisit. We encourage our schools to do an audit of their own facilities and to ensure, if this is still an issue in any school, that it is treated with a matter of urgency,” he said.

Meanwhile, he said the MOEY and its team will be present at the school today to provide counselling to staff and students.

sashana.small@gleanerjm.com